Protective shield for portable abrading device



May 20, 1958 H. c FOTRE 2,835,084

PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR PORTABLE ABRADING DEVICE Filed Sept. 22, 1955 I 2,835,084 Patented May 20, 1958 ice United States Patent PROTECTIVEVSHIELD For: PORTABLE ABRADING DEVICE Harold C. Fotre, Chicago, Ill., a'ssignor to The 'Scholl Mfg}; Co., Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Yor This invention relates to improvements in a protective shield for hand tools, and more particularly to a shield of the character that protects the operator, and'particularly the operators eyes, from dust, chips, abrasive matter, and the like, which may be thrown out by the operation of a power-driven hand tool, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of protective shields have been developed, but insofar as I arh aware those heretofore made for use with power driven' hand tools, such as a simple device held in the hand and utilizing burrs, buffs, grinders, sanders, polishers,abraders, cutters, etc., were objectionable in that they were not easily removable and replaceable, and in most cases wereipermanently associated with the housing of the tool. In many other cases, these formerly known protective shields 'did not permit interchanging of the tools themselves while the protective shield remained in position,'.and in many other cases the protective shields did not establish proper vision for the operator during use of the particular tool. Further, protective shields of this character heretofore known insofar as I am aware required the use of tools in order to mount them upon the housing of a hand tool or the like and could not be mounted andremoved by a simple manipulation of the hands of the operator.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a protective shield for power-driven hand tools or the like, which shield may be readily and easily snapped onto the housing of the tool by a simple manipulation requiring no instruments and little strength on the part of the operator.

Also an object of the instant invention is the provision of a protective shield for power-driven hand tools or the like, which shield is so constructed as to resiliently grip the housing of the power tool, and may be easily snapped onto said housing and equally as easily removed therefrom.

It is also a feature of the instant invention to provide a protective shield mountable on the housing of a powerdriven hand tool or the like, which shield effectively covers the operating tool itself, and provides adequate visibility for the operator at all times while giving that operator complete protection from chips, abrading material, or the like, thrown out by the revolving tool.

A further feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a protective shield for hand tools and the like, which shield comprises an outwardly flaring forward portion for overlying the tool, with means on the narrow end of that forward portion for engagement with the housing of the tool, at least the forward portion of the shield structure being of transparent material.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a protective shield for power-driven hand tools or the like, which shield embodies a unitary integral structure comprising an outwardly flaring forward portion for overlying the operating tool, and a socket-like character so as toprovide an automatic 2 rear portion for easy slip-on engagement with the housing of the tool.

Also an object of the invention is'the provision of an economical and simple protective shield for power-driven hand tools, which shield comprises an outwardly flaring concave-convex forward portion to overlie the actual tool, and a rear socket-like portion having cam surfaces associated therewith for easy slip-on engagement With the housing of the tool, said rear portion being of resilient gripping engagement with the housing. 1

Still another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a simple form of protective shieidfor power-driven hand tools, which shield comprises an integral structure made of transparent material, and em bodies an outwardly flaring forward portion with a slotted cylindrical rear socket portion for easy' slip-on engagement with the housing of a tool.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instantinvention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the follo ing disclosures, taken in conjunction with tl1eacconipany in g drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a power-driven hand tool equipped with a protective shield embodying principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a forward end elevational view of the structure of Fig. 1, taken from the right-hand side of Fig. l; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the shield alone removed from the tool housing.

As shown on the drawings:

While the instant invention may have many and various uses, it is highly desirable for use in connection with small power-driven hand, tools embodying burrs, buffs, grinders, sanders, polishers, cutters, abraders, and the like,- such tools being particularly desirable for use as nail cutters or grinders, for manicuring and pedicuring purposes. The shield is also highly useful for dental tools and the like, particularly where the dentist grinds or polishes an inlay or the like while it is out of the mouth of the patient, although the shield made in a small size might also be utilized while grinding or polishing within the mouth of a paient. In short, the instant invention is extremely useful with a hand tool or the like utilized upon small objects,and in delicate locations where a slip might be extremely painful to a patient or the like, and where close vision is essential. Likewise, artists, draftsmen, engravers, and many others during work requiring close application of a grinding or cutting tool will find the instant invention highly useful.

The illustrated embodiment of this invention is shown associated with a hand tool structure comprising a generally cylindrical housing 1 which normally contains the motor for driving the tool itself. This housing has a cable 2 projecting from the rear thereof for connection with any suitable source of power such as electrical current. At diametrically opposed locations, the housing 1 is provided with projecting studs 3-3 which may form mounting elements for the motor within the housing, and in a judicious location this housing is also provided with a start and stop switch 4. Projecting forwardly from the housing is a chuck or similar element for receiving the shank of a tool, such as a burr 6.

The tool obviously rotates at a relatively high rate of speed, and in the illustrated instance the burr or grinder 6 is of the type that might be used for the trimming of nails in a pedicuring operation. It will be understood, of course, that various forms of individual tools may be inserted in the chuck 5, as deemed necessary by the operator, and in many cases several different forms of tools will be required for a single overall operation. The changing of tools may readily be accomplished in the same manner it would be accomplished, were the instant protective shield not associated with the housing, and it is not necessary-to remove or adjust the shield in order to effect a change of a tool.

The shield itself preferably comprises a unitary integral structure, and includes an outwardly flaring or fanshaped concavo-convex forward portion 7 which overlies the tool 6 during operation thereof. This forward portion of the structure, at least, as illustrated is preferably of transparent material so that the operator may look straight through the shield while actuating the tool. A satisfactory substance for the material of the shield is a suitable transparent thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic.

The forward portionof the shield curves inwardly on the sides as at 8 to gracefully merge with a general cylindrical socket part 9 at the rear of the shield. As seen best in Figs. 2 and 3, this socket portion 9 is provided with a longitudinal slot 10 which permits expansion and contraction of the socket portion 9, since this part will be inherently resilient. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the slot 10 of the socket portion 9 receives the control switch 4 of the tool housing therein.

It will also be noted that the socket portion 9 is provided with opposed oblique slots 1111 therein terminating in a substantially circular rear portion 12. The side edges of each slot 11 are preferably in the'nature of cam surfaces to guide the shield effectively into engagement with the projecting studs 3-3 on the housing 1 when the shield is slipped or snapped into position on the housing.

In operation, the instant invention is extremely simple and effective. It is only necessary to slide the conductor cable 2 through the slot 10 of the socket portion 9 of the shield, and then move the shield forwardly over the housing 1. One or the other side edges of each slot 11 will engage the respective stud 3 on the housing, and with the application of a little force the shield will snap into positive engagement with the studs, embracing the housing in a gripping action due to the resiliency of the socket portion 9.

Application of the shield to the housing, with the fanshaped portion 7 thereof overlying the cutting or grinding tool 6, gives full protection and yet adequate vision to the operator. Obviously, the tool 6 may be removed and another tool substituted without making any adjustment whatever in the position of the shield. It is a simple expedient, to push rearwardly upon the shield, camming the socket portion 9 out of engagement with the studs 3-3, move the shield rearwardly until the conductor cable 2 passes through the slot 10 to complete the removal operation. If desired, of course, the shield may be interchanged from one tool housing to another.

As seen best in Figs. 1 and 3, there is preferably a shoulder 13 provided on the upper side at the junction between the fan-shaped portion 7 and the socket portion 9, such shoulders augmenting the fit of the socket portion around the housing, and in general strengthening the structure of the shield.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided an extremely simple and economical form of protective shield for power-driven hand tools or the like, which shield is simple in construction, and may be applied or removed to the tool without the use of any implements, by simple maneuvers of the hands of the operator. Likewise, tools may be interchanged as desired while the shield remains in place.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be efiected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

In a portable abrading device including a generally cylindrical housing having oppositely projecting studs thereon and a tool retaining member at one end with an abrading tool retained thereby, a protective shield comprising a sheet of flexible material formed with a generally tubular resilient housing-engaging socket portion and an integral open ended generally concavo-convex outwardly flaring generally fan-shaped shield portion extending from the socket portion to overlie the tool, said tubular socket portion having a longitudinal slot to permit a slip-on resilient engagement over said housing and said socket portion having oppositely disposed slots oblique to the longitudinal axis of said socket portion, the edges of said slots engaging said studs on said hous ing in snap-on fashion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 525,278 Peck Aug. 28, 1894 696,155 Williams Mar. 25, 1902 1,516,933 Terranova Nov. 25, 1924 1,593,763 Henderson July 27, 1926 1,650,698 Zonia Nov. 29, 1927 2,401,056 Dilley May 28, 1946 2,429,356 Hicks Oct. 21, 1947 

